Why you should invest in a Computing Ambassadors this year
The new year brings fresh resolutions and ambitions, both personal and professional. If you're looking for meaningful ways to give back, why not consider investing in the Computing Ambassadors scheme? It offers an impactful and rewarding goal to add to your list of resolutions, and one that benefits not only your learners but also your own teaching skill set and career.
Who are Computing Ambassadors?
Computing Ambassadors are industry volunteers who take part in the wider STEM Ambassadors scheme. In short, they are professionals in tech and computing careers, who have signed up to share their extensive knowledge with students. Whether it’s attending schools directly or supporting student events, these dedicated individuals bring a wealth of expertise and enthusiasm to the table, opening doors to an enriched computing education that might otherwise remain closed for students across the country.
1) Develop your learners’ digital skills and literacy
Digital literacy skills empower learners of all ages to adapt, grow, and thrive in the rapidly changing online environment. Such skills enhance employability and prepare young people for success in their future pursuits, whether through university, apprenticeships, or careers, making them some of the most essential skills to foster from as early on as possible.
However, we understand that keeping up with, and teaching, with digital technology can be a challenge for even the most technologically astute teachers out there. That’s where Computing Ambassadors can step in and take the lead, allowing you to hand over to a tech professional to speak about the skills most in demand, how to develop them, and foster hands-on learning in the classroom.
2) Show your students the opportunities that lie ahead
Computing is a vast field, and jobs span beyond merely software engineering and computer programming. In fact, recent studies suggest that over 85 per cent of jobs that will exist in 2030 haven’t been invented yet, so getting to grips with just how limitless and inventive a future in computer science can has never been so relevant.
Hosting a Computing Ambassador presents a unique opportunity to showcase a real industry professional in your school, giving your learners the chance to gain authentic and diverse insights into a variety of markets and job fields.
What’s even better is that young people of all year groups can benefit from engaging with professionals within the tech industry. So, whether you teach primary or secondary, you can engage with a Computing Ambassador to introduce a topic, bring a subject to life, and link all kinds of learning to the real world and the industries that exist within it.
3) Incorporate role models into your lesson delivery
A new study by Billy at the University of Reading asked 1800 children which notable people in computing they are aware of. Out of the top ten, only two were women — Ada Lovelace and Grace Hopper — with the remaining nine being men such as Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Bill Gates, to name a few.
“You can’t be what you can’t see” is a core ethos driving many of our programmes at the National Centre for Computing Education. By hosting a Computing Ambassador in your school, you can help bring this vision to life and inspire your students to see themselves in future tech careers. Whether it’s hosting an event about computer science, mentoring group projects, or giving a talk with a Q&A to help your learners navigate the vast world of technology careers, this opportunity enables your students to get excited about where their future lies.